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By David Odama
Following the ongoing disputes in the Nigeria’s down-stream oil sector, former Senate Leader, Ali Ndume, has urged caution and restraint.
His remarks followed the face-off between Dangote Refinery and two key industry groups—the Nigerian Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) and the Depot and Petroleum Product Marketers Association of Nigeria (DAPPMAN).
NUPENG recently embarked on industrial action, shutting down depots over claims that Dangote Refinery refused to allow its truck drivers join the union, a right provided under the Trade Union Act. Meanwhile, DAPPMAN accused the refinery of attempting to stifle competition by offering lower prices to international traders than to Nigerian marketers.
Although the Department of State Services (DSS) has since intervened to settle the dispute between Dangote Refinery and oil industry workers, Senator Ndume expressed concern about what he described as “a poisonous media narrative aimed at painting Dangote in bad light both locally and internationally.”
The lawmaker recalled that several efforts by past administrations to encourage private operators to establish refineries yielded little. He stressed that licenses were issued to many Nigerians as far back as 2002, but most beneficiaries only exploited the crude oil allocation incentives without building refineries.
Ndume noted:
“Before Dangote took the risk to build his refinery, previous administrations granted licenses to many Nigerians. What did they do with them? Some only took advantage of crude oil allocations. If memory serves, 12 private operators got licenses in 2002 to build refineries. Another round followed in 2007, when nine new licenses were issued after earlier ones were revoked. Yet, none of them made meaningful progress.
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“Even during the Buhari administration, licenses for modular refineries were issued. How many truly delivered? Today, some of these same fuel importers are ganging up to accuse Dangote of monopolizing the market.”
The Borno South Senator criticized what he termed “animosity” toward Dangote Refinery, insisting that the Federal Government, in line with the Petroleum Industry Act, has created an enabling environment for deregulation and fair competition.
“It is wrong to talk about monopoly in a deregulated industry,” he said. “No player has been given undue concession to the detriment of others.”
Ndume further urged the Ministry of Petroleum Resources and the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) to take active interest in the ongoing disputes to prevent disruptions in petroleum product distribution.
He appealed to stakeholders—NUPENG, PENGASSAN, and others—to pursue constructive dialogue with Dangote Refinery instead of fueling division and media sensationalism.
“Our common objective should be to balance labour rights with national development imperatives, not subject citizens to hardship from unnecessary power tussles,” he added
